The Congress, which is the main opposition party in Punjab, had objected to the appointment of Sekhon as Lokpal on grounds of propriety.

Leader of opposition in the Punjab assembly Sunil Jakhar had said: "For the sake of moral and judicial propriety, Justice J.S. Sekhon should have declined to be the Punjab Lokpal as his brother Janmeja Singh Sekhon is a minister in the Punjab government."

Jakhar said that Sekhon was also related to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Questioning the mode and timing of the appointment, Jakhar said that the way the Badal government appointed Sekhon as the Lokpal had raised doubts about the real intentions of the government on the issue.

He said the appointment came just before parliament was to discuss a central legislation on the Lokpal in the forthcoming winter session.

Jakhar wondered how could the Lokpal, who is supposed to hear complaints against government ministers and officers, be impartial when his real brother was a cabinet minister in the Badal government.